Republic of Sonora

The Republic of Sonora was a short-lived federal republic in Baja California which existed from 15 October 1853 to 8 May 1854, with La Paz serving as its capital. The American filibuster William Walker and 45 supporters of Manifest Destiny and slavery from Kentucky and Tennessee invaded Mexico from California with the goal of creating a fortified frontier buffer state to hold off Native American raids against the USA, and they captured the capital of Baja California, La Paz. Walker became the President of Sonora and adopted the Louisiana legal code, which permitted slavery. On 10 January 1854, he proclaimed Sonora's independence from Mexico, but he moved his position twice over three months out of fear of a Mexican counter-attack. Three months later, he created the new Republic of Baja California. Walker's project was popular back in San Francisco, but his men were poorly-supplied, and an unexpectedly strong resistance by the Mexican government forced Walker to retreat to the USA and abandon his project.